This invention relates to the field of medical devices and more specifically to a tissue retractor with an oximeter sensor.
Retractors play an important role in medicine. Retractors typically retract or hold aside tissues (e.g., nerve) so that a physician (e.g., surgeon) can gain access to an area for operation or observation. It is critical that the retracted tissue is not damaged.
One function of a retractor is to retract a nerve, such as a spinal nerve root during spinal surgery. Tens of thousands of spinal surgeries are performed each year. The number of spinal surgeries is continuing to increase due, in part, to an aging population, active lifestyles, and a better understanding of what causes back pain. Back pain may be due to disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, spinal trauma, and osteoarthritis just to name a few examples.
The spinal cord is the main pathway through which the brain sends and receives signals. The nerve fibers in the spinal cord branch off to form pairs of nerve roots that travel through small openings between the vertebrae. These nerves control the body's function including the vital organs, sensation, and movement.
During spinal surgery, it is often necessary to retract the nerve root so that the surgeon can access the surgical site. With current medical devices, however, it is difficult if not impossible, to tell whether the nerve root is being damaged during the retraction. Damage to the nerve root or any nerve can be catastrophic.
There is, then, a continuing demand for medical devices that provide patient feedback, provide more features, are easier to use, and generally address the needs of patients, doctors, and others in the medical community.
Therefore, there is a need to provide improved systems and techniques for retractors.